Lock.



L. EHRLICH.

LOCK.

APPLICATION FILED Dic. 15. 191s.

Patented 11111912, 1917.

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Patented June 12, 1917.

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L. EHRLICH.

LocK. v APPLICATION FILED DEC. I5. |916.

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L. EHRLICH.

LOCK.

APPucATloN man nc.15, |916.

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Pate-nted J une 12, 1917.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

UNT SS AFT Lne EHRLICII, or ST. LoUIS; MISSOURI, AssIGNoR" To LYMAN T.HAY, or ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

LOCK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J une 12, 1917.

Application filed December 15, 1916. Serial No. 137,111.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, Lno EHRLICH, a citi- Zen of the United States,residing at the city of St. Louis, State of Missouri, have invented acertain new and useful Improvement in Locks, of which the following is afull, clear, andl exact description7 such as will enable others skilledin the art towhich it appertains to make and use the same, ref ercncebeing had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of thisspecification, in which- Figure 1 is a front elevationalV view of myimproved lock;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view showing the bolt retracted;

Fig. 4 is a similar view showing the bolt partially projected; l

Fig. 5 is a similar view showing the bolt fully projected;

Fig. (i is a front elevational view with the front lid or coverremoved;`

Fig. 7 is a detail view of one of the tumblers;

Fig. S Fig. G;

Fig. 9 is a vertical sectional view through the lock showing one of thetumblers in position; l

Fig. 10 is a detail view of one of the tumbler operating keys or levers;

Fig. 11 is a Side elevational view showing an auxiliary latching meansoperated .by the lock when used in connection with the coil. boxes ofautomobiles;

Fig. 12 is a front elevational view of the coil box of an automobileshowing my improved lock in position thereon;

Fig. 13 is a side elevational view of a coil box partly in sectionshowing my improved lock and showing a modified arrangement of theauxiliary latching hook which is opis a Sectional view on line S-S oferated' by the lock and engages a part of the coilbox;

Fig. 14C is a modified form of lock showing a different method ofapplication;

Fig. 15 is an elevational view of a padlock involving the principles ofmy invention.

This invention relates to a new and useful improvement in locks whereinthere are a number of tumblers or locking dogs operable by keys orlevers, said locking dogs releasing the spring-pressed bolt whenproperly operated. One of the features of my invention is a lockingelement which coperate's with the bolt to relieve the bolt from springpressure whereby, in the manual operation of the keys or levers whichcontrol the tumblers or locking dogs, the operator cannot feel thedifference in pressure between those dogs which are operated in theproper combination and those which might be operated by one not knowingthe right combination. This locking element may be operated by a coverfor the manually operated keys or levers, and this cover may also beemployed to restore the keys or levers to normal position as willhereinafter appear. Another feature of my invention is the control bythe locking bolt and its connections of an auxiliary latch when the lockis used in connection with coil boxes of automobiles. l 1

In the drawings, 1 indicates a housing or casing having a removable Vlidor cover :2. 3 is a bolt which is mounted for sliding movement insuitable openings in the top and bottom" walls of the housing or casing.41 is a keeper plate, in this instance shownas being attached to theunderside of casing 1, and provided with an opening to receive the bolt3. In Figs. 12 and 13, the casing 1 is Shown as being attached to thelid or cover a of a coil box A. B isv the switch lever which controlstheignition circuit. Then the switch lever B is moved to the verticalposition Shown in the drawings, the operator depresses the bolt 3 tolock the Switch lever against movement. As the lid or cover a. is hingedto the main portion or body of the coil box, it is obvious that theeasing 1 is secured, by suitable fastening means, such as rivets, tothelid cz.- Vhen the lever B is in the position shown in Figs. 12 and.13 and bolt 3 is depressed, this locking of the lever B will alsoeffect the locking of the lid a. When it is desired to release theswitchlever, and at the same time unlock the lid a, the operator liftsthe guard plate,

which thereby locks the bolt against movement and at the same timeexposes the keys or levers, which may be lettered or numbered, andwhich, when operated to actuate proper dogs or tumblers, will releasethe bolt and permit the saine to be lifted under the impelling action ofits spring 5. The bolt 3 carries a universal bar (i under which thespring 5 bears, the latter being preferably an expansive coil springmounted upon bolt 3. This bar 6 is preferably U- shaped and has its topand bottom walls or legs formed with openings to coperate with thehooked ends o1 tumblers or dogs 8, the shape of which will be best seenin Figs. 7 and 9. Each tumbler or dog has a slotted lower end whereby itmay be pivotally mounted on a plate 9 secured to the housing orcasing 1. The dogs are arranged in pairs and each pair of dogs coperateswith a spring 10. The lower end of spring 10 serves to center the dogsto prevent rattling thereof, while the upper end of the spring tends toforce the dogs outwardly from the housing or casing 1. The dogs may beswung on their pivotal point and reversed in order to change thecombination of the look. One dog of each pair, as shown in Fig. 7, hasits hook located near its end, while the other dog of the pair has itshook located at the end, as shown in Fig. 9. The result is that when thedogs are assembled in pairs they present locking projections indiiierent horizontal planes as shown in Figs. 3, L1 and 5. 11 indicateskeys or levers bearing numbers or symbols, there being one key for eachpair of dogs. These keys or levers may be pivotally mounted, as shown,or may be in the form of push buttons. 12 indicates a plate which iscarried by and depends from the central portion of bar G, said platehaving slots or openings formed therein as shown in Fig. G. 13 indicates a guard plate preferably mounted on the shaft which carries thekeys 11. This guard plate when in closed position serves as a shutter orblind to prevent access being had to the keys 11 as shown in Fig. 3. Aspring 11 tends to open the shutter so as to give access to the levers11. A tongue 13u is preferably carried by the shutter, and this tongueis designed to enter either one of the openings in the plate 12 when thebolt 3 is in proper position. Assuming that the bolt is forceddownwardly to its locking position, as shown in Fig. 5, it will beobserved that the tongue 13 is in position to register with the upperopening in plate 12, and when operated will lock the bolt againstmovement. The tongue 13a may be made slightly eccentric so that when itis operated to lock the bolt 3 against movement, it will slightlydepress the bolt and its carried universal bar to relieve the dogs ofall pressure.

In the position of the parts shown in Fig. 5, the stress of the spring 5is carried by the tongue 13a. Vhere the tongue is carried by theshutter, the keys or levers 11 are exposed when the shutter is raised,but unless a person knows the proper combination, he canthe properlevers 11 are swung on their pivots, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 9,the corresponding dogs will be swung rearwardly and the bolt anduniversal bar will be free to move upwardly and would so move were theynot prevented by tongue 13a. It is, therefore, necessary to retract thetongue, and where, as in this instance, it is connected to the shutter,to close the shutter to permit the spring 5 to act,-this closing of theshutter being incident to the opening or' the lock. lVhen the tongue 13ais withdrawn to release the bolt after the proper dogs of thecombination have been operated to permit movement of the universal bar,spring 5 will operate to retract the bolt. While the tongue 13a may beoperated independently of the shutter, I iind it convenient to connectit with the shutter, as I am thus enabled by the operation of theshutter in moving` the tongue to restore the keys or levers 11 by theuseof a bar 13b carried by the shutter. This bar 13b, when the shutteris closed, will restore all of the keys or levers 11 to their normalposition, as shown in Fig. 3, and will hold them against accidentaldisplacement while the closed shutter will prevent experimentalmanipulation of the keys or levers. In this connection I might say thatif desired the openings in the plate 12 may be so arranged with respectto the tongue 13a that they will not exactly regis ter with the tongue,but by being located slightly above the plane of registration, willprevent the operation of the shutter when the bolt is in its normallocking position. This will require a slight depression of the boltbefore the shutter will be operated. lVhen the shutter is operated, asshown in Fig. 4, it will lock the bolt 3 and expose the keys or levers11 so that by further manipulation ot said keys or levers, it ispossible to release the lid or cover 2 of the lock for purposes ottrepair, changing the combination, etc.

The lid or cover 2 has a flange 2a (see Fig. 8) which is engaged by anoverhanging projection on the universal bar and in the position of theparts shown in both Figs. 4: and 5, this flange is engaged by theuniversal bar. However, it is desirable at times to release thek lid orcover andto do this the levers 11 are operatedv to permit a furtherupward movement of the bolt, such for instance as illustrated in Fig. 3.In thus unlocking the lid, it is preferable to use a differentcombination, such for instance as one requiring the use of differentlevers 11. To illustrate: if levers marked 1-, 3,V 5` and 7 form theirst combination and are to be operated in permitting the initialretractile movement of the bolt, levers 2, 4l, 6, and 8 might beselected as constituting the second combination for unlocking the lid.The hooks at the extremities of the tumblers form stops for theuniversal bar after its initial release in its position shown in Fig. 4Land as the hooks controlled by levers 2, 4l, 6, and 8 are presentedoutwardly, it follows that when these levers are operated, these hookswill be moved rearwardly so as to again release the bar. The operationof any other lever will cause its controlled dog having a rearwardlypresented hook to lock the bar against movement, and this also Yappliesto the dogs which control the first release.

Then the bolt is in the position shown in Fig. 1, the lid is locked andas long as the shutter is down, it prevents access to the levers. Thenthe shutter is open to give access to the levers 11, the tongue 13El onthe shutter engages in one of the slots in the plate 12 carried by theuniversal bar such engagement relieving the bolt from its spring tensionso that the operator cannot tell by the feel of the levers 11 which oneor ones must be operated; thus, following the example underconsideration, if levers 2, 4, 6, and 8 are operated to open the lid, nomovement of the bolt can result until the shutter is closed and thetongue con-` nected thereto releases the bolt. When the bolt is releasedthe spring will carry it to the positionl shown in Fig. 3 in which theflange on the lid is released by the universal bar and the cover may beremoved. This double combination, one to release the bolt from itslocking position, and the other to release the bolt whereby it maycontinue its retracting movement to release the lid or cover, enablesthe use of two-combinations, one which may be known to several persons,such as the combination necessary to initially release the bolt, and theother of which may be known only to the owner of the lock or the machineto which it is attached, and who alone can gain accessV to the tumblersto change or modify the combination controlling the release of the bolt.

The universal bar may be utilized for operating an auxiliary latch, asshown in Figs. 11 and 18, in which 15 indicates a lever having anoutwardly projecting hook on its free end and a double inclined oranticlinal inner face on its inner edge, the

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latter projecting through an opening in the housing 1 and cooperatingwith the universal bar. In this connection, it will be understood thatthe universal bar in moving vertically with the locking bolt 3 willengage one or the other of the inclined faces on the inner edge of thelatch 15, thereby forcing the same outwardly with respect to thehousing 1. Then the lock housing 1 is secured to the cover of the coilbox, as shown in Fig. 18, and the lever B controlling the ignitioncircuit is mounted upon the box and cooperates with the keeper plate forthe lock, it follows that when the ignition lever is locked the boxcannot be opened. Then the ignition lever B is released to complete thecircuit, the universal bar G is moved to the position shown in Fig. t,in which position the universal bar 6 bears directly against the rearside of the auxiliary latch 15, thereby forcing the hook on the outerend thereof outwardly or rearwardly into a suitably located aperture inthe coil box A, thus preventing the lid of the coil box from beingopened. 1t is immaterial whether the auxiliary latch 15 is held in itslocked position when bolt 3 is fully depressed or when partiallydepressed, as the operation of the auxiliary latch may be left to thedesire of the user, depending upon the relation of that portion of thelatch which is engaged by the universal bar.

In Fig. lil l have shown the bolt 3 cooperating with a sliding member Pwhich latter serves as apart of a switch and mounted on said slidingmember is a collar p, with which the bolt cooperates when in itsdepressed position. There there are several of these sliding members,the bolt 3 may have a plate or bar which will engage and lock two ormore of said members.

In Fig. 15 where l have shown my invention applied to a padlock theupper end of the bolt 3 is cut away to form a shoulder 3a and carried bysaid bolt is a fiat spring 20, the upper end of which carries a pin 21,the same passing transversely through the bolt 3 at a point above theshoulder 3a. The shoulder 3 and the recess above same are adapted toreceive the free end of a shackle 22, the latter being pivotallyconnected at 28 to the housing of the device, and formed through thefree end of said shackle is an aperture 24 which receives the end of thepin 21 when the parts are in locked position. 7hen unlocked, the bolt 3is elevated as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 15, and when the shackle ismoved downwardly into locking position, its free end forces the pin 21Voutwardly and when the end of said shackle rests on shoulder 3a, the pinengages in aperture 21 and as the parts move into locking position, thepin 21 which connects the free end of the shackle and the bolt occupiesa position below the top of the housing of the device.

While I have shown my lock as being adapted for use in connection withautomobile coil boXes, it is obvious that there are many otheradaptations to which my improved lock is capable, such as desks, vaults,safes, padlocks, etc., and I do not wish to be understood, therefore, asbeing limited to the specific forms shown.

I claim:

l. In a lock, a spring-pressed bolt, means including tumblers associatedwith said bolt for holding the same in different locking positions, andcoperating means for moving the bolt against the tension of its springaway from the engaging tumblers so as to remove the same from the stressof the spring while the bolt is in locking position.

2. In a lock, a spring-pressed bolt, means including tumblers associatedwith said bolt for holding the same in different locking positions,coperating means for moving the bolt against the tension of its springaway from the engaging tumblers so as to re` move the same from thestress of the spring while the bolt is in locking position, and

y manually manipulative means for actuating the tumblers.

3. In a lock, a spring-pressed bolt, springpressed tumblers forcontrolling the movement thereo-f and to retain said bolt in differentlocking positions, and means for holding the bolt .in position so thatthe pressure of its spring is removed from the bolt engaging tumblers,which last mentioned means is adapted to retain the bolt in lockingposition after the engaging tumblers have been released.

Ll-. A lock comprising a movable bolt in combination with tumblersarranged in pairs for controlling the movement of the bolt, manuallyoperable means for actuating the tumblers, and a shutter or guardcoperating with the bolt for giving access to said manually operablemeans.

5. A lock comprising a retractile bolt in combination withspring-pressed tumblers for controlling the movement of the bolt, andmeans operable independently of said tumblers for locking the boltagainst movement in different locking positions when the proper tumblershave been operated to release the bolt.

6. A lock comprising a retractile bolt in combination with tumblers forcontrolling the movement of the bolt, means operable independently ofsaid tumblers for locking the bolt against movement when the propertumblers have been operated to release the bolt, and a guard connectedto said last mentioned means whereby, when the tumblers are accessibleto operation, the bolt is locked against movement and when the bolt isreleased said guard is moved to prevent operation of the tumblers.

7. In a lock, the combination of a bolt, a removable lid or cover forthe lock which is held against displacement in the opened and closedposition of the bolt, tumblers for controlling the movement of the boltin its releasing and locking positions above mentioned, and anadditional set of tumblers for controlling an excessive movement of thebolt whereby the lid or cover may be released.

8. A lock comprising a movable bolt which is normally under stress ofyielding pressure in combination with tumblers for controlling themovement of said bolt, and means for relieving the tumblers of stresstransmitted from the bolt whereby the latter cannot be released by thedifference in the feel of the tumblers.

9. In a lock, the combination of a bolt, tumblers therefor, manuallyoperable means for controlling the tumblers, means for locking the boltagainst movement when the tumblers are positioned to release the bolt,and means connected to said last mentioned means for restoring themanually operable devices to normal position when the bolt is released.

10. In a lock the combination of a bolt, tumblers for controlling therelease of the bolt, manually operable means for positioning saidtumblers, a blind or shutter for concealing and giving access to saidmanually operable means, and means connected to and operated by saidblind or shutter for restoring said manually operable means when saidblind or shutter is being moved to its closed position.

11. In a lock of the class described, a

spring actuated locking bolt, tumblers for holding said bolt indifferent locking positions, manually operable means for releasing saidtumblers, and means for holding the bolt in position so that thepressure of its spring is relieved from the said tumblers. 12. In a lockof the class described, a bolt, means including manually operabledevices for controlling movement of said bolt, and independent means forholding the bolt against movement, a portion of which means is adaptedto be shifted into position to form a cover for the manually operablemeans.

13. In a lock of the class described, a spring-pressed bolt, tumblersfor controlling the movement of the bolt, and independent means forholding the bolt, said means be ing adapted to isolate the tumblers fromthe bolt while the tumblers are being operated.

14. In a lock of the class described, a spring-pressed bolt, tumblerswhich engage and prevent movement of the bolt in response to its spring,and means Jfor Withdravving the bolt from engagement with the tumblersand maintaining said disengagement While the tumblers are being operatedto release the bolt.

15. In a lock of the Class described, a spring-pressed bolt, manuallyactuated tumblers, some of which are adapted when actuated to lock thebolt and prevent its movement in response to its spring, the remainingtumblers normally preventing movement of the bolt in response to itsspring and being withdrawn from suoli service by said manual actuation,and means for isolating the bolt from said tumblers While they are beingmanually actuated so that the operator cannot detect by sense of touchthe group to which the several tumblers belong.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature this 11th day ofDecember, 11916.

LEO EHRLICH.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ive cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

